Reece, Louise Goff, 1898-1970

Louise Goff Reece (November 6, 1898 – May 14, 1970) was an American politician. A member of the Republican Party, she served as a United States Representative from Tennessee from, 1961 to 1963.

Born Louoise Despard Goff in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, she was a daughter of Guy D. Goff and granddaughter of Nathan Goff, both of whom were U.S. Senators from West Virginia. She was educated at Miss Treat's School, Milwaukee-Downer Seminary, and Miss Spence's School in New York City. In 1917, she moved to Washington, DC, with her family when her father was appointed a special assistant to the U.S. Attorney General. She left the comforts of home in 1920, to volunteer for an American relief effort in France spearheaded by Anne Morgan, daughter of financier J. P. Morgan. While in France, Goff drove ambulances through areas of the country that had been ravaged by World War I.

In 1923 Louise Goff married B. Carroll Reece, then a second-term Republican Representative from Tennessee, initiating an almost-four-decade-long political union, regularly campaigning with him, serving as his chauffeur since he didn't drive; Louise Goff became as well known as her husband. She worked as her husaband's eyes and ears in Washington, tracking legislation in caucus meetings or congressional committees, and as an observer and point of contact at GOP meetings, including the national conventions. Following her husband's death, Louise Reece announced her intention to seek the GOP nomination to fill out the remainder of his term. She prevailed handily in both the primary and special elections.

Louise Reece took the oath of office on May 23, 1961, and was assigned to the Committee on Public Works. In an effort to protect her district’s glass industry, Reece paired with West Virginia Representative Cleveland Monroe Bailey in urging President John F. Kennedy to restore tariff rates on certain glass products. Though she supported government aid to build schools, she opposed federal dollars going towards increasing teachers’ pay. A severe arthritic condition cut her congressional career short with Reece announcing in January 1962 that she would not be a candidate for re-election.

Remaining active in State and national politics following the end of her Congressional career, Reece was a businesswoman with wide interests in Tennessee and West Virginia. She was a member of the board of the First Peoples Bank, Johnson City, Tennessee and chairman of the board of Carter County Bank, Elizabethton, Tennessee. She was also proprietor and manager of Goff Properties in Clarksburg, West Virginia. She died in Johnson City, Tennessee.